1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tabular assembly base for the detachable mounting of a valve unit, in which several valve modules are placed together as an assembly group, load ducts, adapted to be connected with loads to be controlled, being formed in the assembly base, such load ducts being associated in groups with different valve modules of the valve unit and communicating with power ducts of the respectively associated valve module when the valve unit is mounted.
1. Description of the Prior Art
The German patent publication 4,413,657 C1 discloses a valve unit composed of several valve modules placed in a row together with terminally arranged terminating modules, which are collected together with the formation of a unit. The necessary connections with the loads to be driven are produced by connecting pressure medium lines which lead to the loads, by power fluid ducts, which open at the lower side of the unit, directly with the respective valve modules.
Alternatively to this a connection of the loads using a plate-like "pneumatic multi-pole" as a tabular assembly base as sold by the assignee. In this respect it is a question of a plain plate, on which the previously assembled valve unit is attached bodily in a detachable fashion. The pressure medium lines leading to the loads are in this case connected with the assembly base so that in case of need the valve unit may be removed without the pressure medium lines having to be removed separately. Furthermore the supply and removal of the pressure medium required for the operation of the valve modules, as for example compressed air, can be via the assembly base.
However it has turned out that the known pneumatic multipole designed in the form of a plain plate is not always able to do justice to the ever increasing requirements as regards flexibility and adaptability. Thus, dependent on the number of the valve modules, assembly bases with different dimensions required. This makes it necessary to take many different measures as regards stockholding and logistics, which are not without effect on the costs of manufacture. Furthermore, the operator of the valve unit as well must completely replace the tabular assembly base if the unit is to be further developed.